Tape dispenser

Abstract

A tape dispenser having a polymeric frame with a cutter support portion having a cutting edge along one end, opposite side wall portions attached along opposite side edges of the cutter support portion, opposed hub portions projecting toward each other from the side wall portions that are adapted to project into opposite ends of an opening through a tape core to rotatably support the roll of tape, and locating tab portions projecting toward each other from the side wall portions. The locating tab portions have arcuate retaining surfaces adjacent and spaced from the support portion, and have opposed cam surfaces extending from the side wall portions to the inner ends of the locating tab portions that consistently cause tape being pulled from the roll of tape on the side of the tab portions opposite the retaining surfaces to be guided around the locating tab portions when the tape is cut, whereupon the newly cut end portion of the tape will releasably adhere to the retaining surfaces to retain that end portion in a position projecting from the roll at which it can easily be manually engaged to afford withdrawing another length of tape from the roll.

We claim: 
     
       1. A tape dispenser for a roll of tape including a supply length of the tape wound around a core, which core has opposite ends and a through opening defined by a cylindrical inner surface between the ends, said dispenser comprising means for defining a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape, and a frame integrally molded of a polymeric material, said frame comprising: a cutter support portion having said means for defining a cutting edge along one end and having spaced side edges disposed at about right angles with respect to said cutting edge;   opposite side wall portions attached along said opposite side edges of the cutter support portion and having opposed adjacent inner surfaces;   opposed hub portions projecting toward each other from the side wall perilous, said hub portions having peripheral surfaces adapted to support the cylindrical inner surface of the core for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said tape cutting edge, and being adapted to project into the opening in the core from opposite ends of the core to support the roll of tape for rotation about the hub portions; and   opposed space locating tab penions projecting toward each other from the side wall portions at a distance from said axis that is significantly less than the distance between said cutting edge and said axis, said locating tab portions having retaining surfaces adjacent the guide portion that are convex and arcuate about an axis parallel to the axis of said hub portions and are spaced from the support portion so that a first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle of at least 12 degrees with respect to a second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions, said dispenser having unobstructed space adjacent the retaining surfaces between said first plane and said second plane, said locating tab portions having opposed cam surfaces extending from the side wall portions to the adjacent inner ends of the locating tab portions on the sides of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces, parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces being disposed at cam angles of greater than about 45 degrees with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces when the measurements of said cam angles are taken in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes;   said cam surfaces and the space between said retaining surfaces and said support member causing tape being pulled from the roll of tape on the hub portions on the side of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces to be consistently guided between and around said tab portions when relative movement is caused between said dispenser and said tape being withdrawn to bring said cutting edge into engagement to transversely cut the tape, and said retaining surfaces affording releasable adhesion thereto by a newly cut end portion of the tape to retain that end portion of the tape in a position projecting from the roll at which it may easily be manually engaged to afford withdrawing another length of tape from the roll.   
     
     
       2. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the space between the adjacent spaced ends of the locating tab portions is at least 60 percent of the width of the tape the dispenser is intended to dispense. 
     
     
       3. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said side wall portions are resiliently flexible between the hub portions and the support portion so that the side wall portions can be resiliently bent apart to afford positioning the tape roll between the hub portions and removing the empty core from therebetween. 
     
     
       4. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said frame further comprises a resiliently flexible arched portion attached to the edge of the support portion opposite said cutting edge and adapted to extend partially around the roll of tape, said arched portion having a generally cylindrically concave surface adjacent said hub portion. 
     
     
       5. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle in the range of about 20 to 70 degrees with respect to said second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions; and said cam surfaces are disposed at an angle of less than about 30 degrees with respect to the inner surfaces of the side wall portions. 
     
     
       6. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle of about 38 degrees with respect to said second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions; and said parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces are disposed at cam angles of greater than about 70 degrees with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of said imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces when the measurements of said cam angles are taken in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes. 
     
     
       7. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 wherein said hub portions are semi-cylindrical and are disposed on the side of the axis of the hub portions opposite said cutting edge. 
     
     
       8. A tape dispenser for a roll of tape including a supply length of the tape wound around a core, which core has opposite ends and a through opening defined by a cylindrical inner surface between the ends, said dispenser comprising means for defining a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape, and a frame of a polymeric material, said frame comprising: a cutter support portion having said means for defining a cutting edge along one end and having spaced side edges disposed at about right angles with respect to said cutting edge;   opposite side wail portions attached along said opposite side edges of the cutter support portion and having opposed adjacent inner surfaces; at least one hub portion projecting from one of said side wall portions, said hub portion having a peripheral surface adapted to support the cylindrical inner surface of the core for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said tape cutting edge, and being adapted to project into the opening in the core from one end of the core to support the roll of tape for rotation about the hub portion; and   opposed spaced locating tab portions projecting toward each other from the side wall portions at a distance from said axis that is significantly less than the distance between said cutting edge and said axis, said locating tab portions having retaining surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion That are spaced from the support portion so that a first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle of at least 12 degrees with respect to a second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions, said locating tab portions having opposed cam surfaces extending from the side wall portions to the adjacent inner ends of the locating tab portions on the sides of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces, said dispenser having unobstructed space adjacent the retaining surfaces between said first plane and said second plane, parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces being disposed at cam angles of greater than about 45 degrees with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces when the measurements of said cam angles are taken in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes;   said cam surfaces causing tape being pulled from the roll of tape on the hub portions on the side of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces to be guided between and around said tab portions when relative movement is caused between said dispenser and said tape being withdrawn to bring said cutting edge into engagement to transversely cut the tape, and said retaining surfaces affording releasable adhesion thereto by a newly cut end portion of the tape to retain that end portion of the tape in a position projecting from the roll at which it may easily be manually engaged to afford withdrawing another length of tape from the roll.   
     
     
       9. A tape dispenser according to claim 8 wherein the space between the adjacent spaced ends of the locating tab portions is at least 60 percent of the width of the tape the dispenser is intended to dispense. 
     
     
       10. A tape dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said retaining surfaces are convex and arcuate about an axis parallel to the axis of said hub portion. 
     
     
       11. A tape dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle in the range of about 20 to 70 degrees with respect to said second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions; and said parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces are disposed at cam angles of greater than about 60 degrees with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of said imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces when the measurements of said cam angles are taken in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes. 
     
     
       12. A tape dispenser according to claim 8 wherein said first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at an angle of about 38 degrees with respect to said second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions; and said parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces are disposed at cam angles of greater than about 70 degrees with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of said imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces when the measurements of said cam angles are taken in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes. 
     
     
       13. A tape dispenser for a roll of tape including a supply length of the tape wound around a core, which core has opposite ends and a through opening defined by a cylindrical inner surface between the ends, said dispenser comprising means for defining a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape, and a frame of a polymeric material, said frame comprising: a cutter support portion having said means for defining a cutting edge along one end and having spaced side edges disposed at about right angles with respect to said cutting edge;   opposite side wall portions attached along said opposite side edges of the cutter support portion and having opposed adjacent inner surfaces;   at least one hub portion projecting from one of said side wall portions, said hub portion having a peripheral surface adapted to support the cylindrical inner surface of the core for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said tape cutting edge, and being adapted to project into the opening in the core from one end of the core to support the roll of tape for rotation about the hub portion; and   opposed spaced locating tab portions projecting toward each other from the side wall portions at a distance from said axis that is less than the distance between said cutting edge and said axis, said locating tab portions being spaced apart a predetermined distance and having retaining surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion that are spaced from the support portion so that a first plane passing through the axis of the hub portions and the cutting edge is disposed at a first predetermined angle with respect to a second plane that passes through the axis of the hub portions and is tangent to the retaining surfaces of the locating tab portions, said dispenser having unobstructed space adjacent the retaining surfaces between said first plane and said second plane, said locating tab portions having opposed cam surfaces extending from the side wall portions to the adjacent inner ends of the locating tab portions on the sides of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces, said parts of the cam surfaces along the lengths of the cam surfaces being disposed at predetermined cam angles with respect to the surfaces adjacent the cutter support portion of imaginary planes passing through said axis of the hub portion and said parts of the cam surfaces, which cam angles are measured in planes normal to the surfaces of the imaginary planes;   said predetermined distance, said first angle and said predetermined cam angles being adapted to cause tape being pulled from the roll of tape on the hub portions on the side of said locating tab portions opposite said retaining surfaces to be consistently guided between and around said tab portions without further relative manipulation of said dispenser and said tape being withdrawn when relative movement is caused between said dispenser and said tape being withdrawn to bring said cutting edge into engagement to transversely cut the tape, and said retaining surfaces affording releasable adhesion thereto by a newly cut end portion of the tape to retain that end portion of the tape in a position projecting from the roll at which it may easily be manually engaged to afford withdrawing another length of tape from the roll.   
     
     
       14. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined distance between the adjacent spaced ends of the locating tab portions is at least 60 percent of the width of the tape the dispenser is intended to dispense. 
     
     
       15. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said retaining surfaces are convex and arcuate about an axis parallel to the axis of said hub portion. 
     
     
       16. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said first angle is in the range of about 20 to 70 degrees. 
     
     
       17. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said predetermined cam angles are greater than 45 degrees. 
     
     
       18. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said first angle is about 38 degrees, said predetermined cam angles are greater than 70 degrees, and said predetermined distance between the adjacent spaced ends of the locating tab portions is about 60 percent of the width of the tape the dispenser is intended to dispense. 
     
     
       19. A tape dispenser according claim 13 wherein said frame further includes an opposed pair of spaced and aligned attachment portions between said side wall portions and along said cutter support portion, said attachment portions having opposite major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutting edge and including opposed generally triangular projecting parts at their adjacent ends, said projecting parts having inner edges between said major surfaces that arc generally parallel to and spaced from said cutter support portion, and opposite outer edges disposed at an acute angle with respect to said inner edges, said attachment portions being adapted to be received in aligned spaced slots formed in a flexible paper card that can bear advertising and other information about said dispenser and can have an opening by which the card and thereby the dispenser can be hung on a pin with end portions of the projecting parts positioned over parts of the card between the slots and opposite edges of the card at the outer ends of the slots abutting the inner surfaces of said side wall portions, the parts of the card between the slots being positionable beneath the ends of the projecting parts by positioning the card between the side wall portions on the inclined outer edges of the projecting parts with the outer ends of the attachment portions in the slots and resiliently bending the card between and transverse to the attachment portions by pressing its center portion toward the cutter support portion until the portion of the card between the slots passes between the adjacent ends of the projecting parts, whereupon the card will straighten, leaving said parts of the card beneath the ends of the projecting parts. 
     
     
       20. A tape dispenser according to claim 13 wherein said frame further includes an opposed pair of spaced and aligned attachment portions between said side wall portions and along said cutter support portion, said attachment portions having opposite major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutting edge and including opposed generally triangular projecting parts at their adjacent ends, said projecting parts having inner edges between said major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutter support portion, and opposite outer edges disposed at an acute angle with respect to said inner edges; and wherein said tape dispenser further includes a planar paper card having opposite parallel edges extending between opposite inner and outer ends of said card, and aligned spaced slots extending into said card from said edges adjacent said inner end, said attachment portions being received in said spaced slots with end portions of the projecting parts positioned over parts of the card between the slots and said opposite edges of the card at the outer ends of the slots abutting the inner surfaces of said side wall portions, the parts of the card between the slots having been positioned beneath the ends of the projecting parts by positioning the card between the side wall portions on the inclined outer edges of the projecting parts with the outer ends of the attachment portions in the slots and resiliently bending the card between and transverse to the attachment portions by pressing its center portion toward the cutter support portion until the portion of the card between the slots passed between the adjacent ends of the projecting parts, whereupon the card straightened, leaving said parts of the card beneath the ends of the projecting parts, said card bearing advertising and other information about said dispenser, having a major portion of said card adjacent said outer end projecting past said cutting edge, and having a first opening adjacent the outer end of said card by which the card and thereby the dispenser can be hung on a pin. 
     
     
       21. A tape dispenser according to claim 20 wherein said card and said cutter support portion have aligned openings that can receive a pin on which the card and dispenser can be hung, said frame being shaped and said first opening in said card and said aligned openings being positioned so that a plurality of dispensers can be hung on the same pin with one of each pair of successive dispensers receiving the pin in the first opening and the other receiving the pin in the aligned openings to cause the successive dispensers to nest more closely together on the pin. 
     
     
       22. A tape dispenser for a roll of tape including a supply length of the tape wound around a core, which core has opposite ends and a through opening defined by a cylindrical inner surface between the ends, said dispenser comprising means for defining a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape, and a frame of a polymeric material, said frame comprising: a cutter support portion having said means for defining a cutting edge along one end and having spaced side edges disposed at about right angles with respect to said cutting edge;   opposite side wall portions attached along said opposite side edges of the cutter support portion and having opposed adjacent inner surfaces;   at least one hub portion projecting from one of said side wall portions, said hub portion having a peripheral surface adapted to support the cylindrical inner surface of the core for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said tape cutting edge, and being adapted to project into the opening in the core from one end of the core to support the roll of tape for rotation about the hub portion; and   an opposed pair of spaced and aligned attachment portions between said side wall portions and along said cutter support portion, said attachment portions having opposite major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutting edge and including opposed generally triangular projecting parts at their adjacent ends, said projecting parts having inner edges between said major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutter support portion, and opposite outer edges disposed at an acute angle with respect to said inner edges, said attachment portions being adapted to be received in aligned spaced slots formed in a flexible paper card that can bear advertising and other information about said dispenser and can have an opening by which the card and thereby the dispenser can be hung on a pin with end portions of the projecting parts positioned over parts of the card between the slots and opposite edges of the card at the outer ends of the slots abutting the inner surfaces of said side wall portions, the parts of the card between the slots being positionable beneath the ends of the projecting parts by positioning the card between the side wall portions on the inclined outer edges of the projecting parts with the outer ends of the attachment portions in the slots and resiliently bending the card between and transverse to the attachment portions by pressing its center portion toward the cutter support portion until the portion of the card between the slots passes between the adjacent ends of the projecting parts, whereupon the card will straighten, leaving said parts of the card beneath the ends of the projecting parts.   
     
     
       23. A tape dispenser for a roll of tape including a supply length of the tape wound around a core, which core has opposite ends and a through opening defined by a cylindrical inner surface between the ends, said dispenser comprising means for defining a cutting edge adapted to transversely cut the tape, and a frame of a polymeric material, said frame comprising; a cutter support portion having said means for defining a cutting edge along one end and having spaced side edges disposed at about right angles with respect to said cutting edge;   opposite side wall portions attached along said opposite side edges of the cutter support portion and having opposed adjacent inner surfaces;   at least one hub portion projecting from one of said side wall portions, said hub portion having a peripheral surface adapted to support the cylindrical inner surface of the core for rotation about an axis generally parallel to said tape cutting edge, and being adapted to project into the opening in the core from one end of the core to support the roll of tape for rotation about the hub portion; and   an opposed pair of spaced and aligned attachment portions between said side wall portions and along said cutter support portion, said attachment portions having opposite major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutting edge and including opposed generally triangular projecting parts at their adjacent ends, said projecting parts having inner edges between said major surfaces that are generally parallel to and spaced from said cutter support portion, and opposite outer edges disposed at an acute angle with respect to said inner edges; and said tape dispenser further including a planar paper card having opposite parallel edges extending between opposite inner and outer ends of said card, and aligned spaced slots extending into said card from said edges adjacent said inner end, said attachment portions being received in said spaced slots with end portions of the projecting parts positioned over parts of the card between the slots and said opposite edges of the card at the outer ends of the slots abutting the inner surfaces of said side wall portions, the parts of the card between the slots having been positioned beneath the ends of the projecting parts by positioning the cud between the side wall portions on the inclined outer edges of the projecting parts with the outer ends of the attachment portions in the slots and resiliently bending the card between and transverse to the attachment portions by pressing its center portion toward the cutter support portion until the portion of the card between the slots passed between the adjacent ends of the projecting parts, whereupon the card straightened, leaving said parts of the card beneath the ends of the projecting parts, said card bearing advertising and other information about said dispenser, having a major portion of said card adjacent said outer end projecting past said cutting edge, and having a first opening adjacent the outer end of said card by which the card and thereby the dispenser can be hung on a pin.     
     
     
       24. A tape dispenser according to claim 23 wherein said card and said cutter support portion have aligned openings that can receive a pin on which the card and dispenser can be hung, said frame being shaped and said first opening in said card and said aligned openings being positioned so that a plurality of dispensers can be hung on the same pin with one of each pair of successive dispensers receiving the pin in the first opening and the other receiving the pin in the aligned openings to cause the successive dispensers to nest more closely together on the pin.